A four-year-old girl from Australia has become the world’s first person to receive umbilical cord blood to prevent type 1 diabetes.

Researchers from the University of Sydney used stem cells that were harvested from the girl’s own umbilical cord.  The procedure took place as part of a study that first began in 2012.

Researchers believe that the stem cells found in umbilical cord blood can change the immune system of children who were at risk of having type 1 diabetes and prevent the disease from taking hold.

The girl’s brother and 6-year-old half-sister both have type 1 diabetes and researchers wanted to see if the stem cell treatment prevented the disease occurring in her.  In blood tests the girl was found to have three out of the four antibodies that heighten the risk of having this form of diabetes.

The study involves 20 different test subjects, all at risk of having this form of diabetes.  The girl remains negative for diabetes and researchers believe that using umbilical cord blood to prevent type 1 diabetes will become commonplace in a few years.

From: Worlds first attempt made to prevent type 1 diabetes through umbilical cord blood

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